


What's a Wuss

by WannaBeBold



Series: Aunt Ellie and Uncle Nick [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Babysitting, F/M, awkwardness ensues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25232341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WannaBeBold/pseuds/WannaBeBold
Summary: “M-me and Ni-Nick? Oh. No. No, no. We uh, we’re not uh, we’re not like that. I mean, he said I was like a sister to him.”“That man is such a wuss.” Ziva mumbled under her breath, Ellie barely hearing her and suddenly curious about what she meant. “Trust me Eleanor, that man does not see you as a sister...”
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres, Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo
Series: Aunt Ellie and Uncle Nick [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1827994
Comments: 22
Kudos: 99





	What's a Wuss

**_May 17th 2020_ **

“Tony, Ziva, welcome!” Ellie greeted as she opened the door to the little family of three. Tali was standing between the two adults, holding tightly to their hands. Squatting down to get on her level, Ellie held out a hand. “And hello Tali. So nice to see you again. Are you ready for a fun week? I have a ton of fun stuff planned.” 

Smiling shyly, Tali gave a look to her parents and let go of their hands to step up to Ellie. “Hi Aunt Ellie. Can we go to the zoo? And get ice cream?” 

“Absolutely! And don’t tell your parents but,” Ellie dropped her voice to a whisper to share the secret with the young girl, “I always have plenty of ice cream.” 

Tali let out a squeal and jumped into the agent’s arms, almost knocking her over in the process. Pulling away after a moment, Tali ran into the living room and laid out on the couch as her parents stepped into the apartment, Ellie closing the door behind them. 

“She is still a little hesitant about being away from me. I am hoping she will not be too difficult this week.” 

“Oh I’m sure she’ll be fine Ziva.” 

“From your mouth to the dog’s ears.” Ziva smiled as she pulled Ellie into a hug, the younger woman sending a questioning look to Tony as he just laughed at his new wife’s misspeak. She turned to Tony, accepting his hug as Ziva sat Tali’s bag next to the hallway just as a rhythmic knock sounded on the door before it opened slowly. 

“I didn’t miss them did I?” 

“Uncle Nick!” Tali ran forward as soon as the door opened, crashing into his legs. 

“Oh hey little ninja.” Nick picked up the almost six year old, tickling her as she let out a string of laughs. 

“Uncle Nick put me down!” Smiling, he sat her down and watched her hide behind Ellie’s legs, finally looking up at Tony and Ziva who were watching the scene with amusement. Free of Tali, he stepped forward, shaking Tony’s hand before pulling Ziva into a hug. 

“What are you doing here Nicholas?”

“Oh just coming to see my favorite girl.” He sent a smile to Tali, laughing as she became suddenly shy. “Ellie told me you guys were dropping Tali off today and I had to come by and say hey.” 

Ziva smiled knowingly as Nick’s eyes kept drifting to Ellie who was running her hand over Tali’s hair. Nudging her husband, Tony smirked at the all too familiar scene in front of them and decided to break the now-heated stare between the two.

“I don’t think I got to thank you guys enough for helping Ziva get back to us. And for all of your help with the wedding. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

“We were happy to help Tony.” Nick nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah. And we’re happy to help now too. You guys deserve this honeymoon.”

“Yes we do.” Tony pulled Ziva into his side, kissing her forehead. Glancing down at his watch, Tony showed Ziva the time and they both knew they had to get going. “Tali, Ima and Daddy have to leave now. You be good for Aunt Ellie and Uncle Nick okay?” 

“Yes Ima.” Tali nodded, hugging her parents tight. A few tears began to gather in Ziva’s eyes and she willed herself not to cry. It would just be a week and they would be back together again. 

“Just remember Tal-bear you can call us anytime on the phone or Skype. Aunt Ellie has our phone numbers in case you need or wanna talk okay?” 

“Okay daddy.” 

Nick and Ellie stepped back, watching as the little family said their goodbyes before handing them a piece of paper with some ground rules for Tali before kissing their daughter and leaving. 

“So Tali, what do you wanna do first?” Ellie turned towards the girl who was now sitting on the couch holding a stuffed dog. 

“I dunno” She shrugged, all of her focus on her kelev. 

Stumped at where to go from here, Ellie turned to Nick with a pleading expression on her face. Taking a deep breath, Nick went to sit next to Tali. 

“Hey Tals, do you like hide and seek?” The child’s face lit up as she nodded enthusiastically. “Alright. I’ll count, you hide.”

“Okay uncle Nick!” Giggling, Tali ran off to hide as Nick covered his eyes and started counting out loud. From the kitchen, Ellie watched the scene in awe. 

“Time for dinner!” Ellie yelled, voice reaching the living room where Nick and Tali were currently sitting on the floor playing Barbies. 

“Race ya!” Tali squealed as she jumped up, getting a head start on Nick who was still trying to get up from the floor. “Um Ellie? A little help here?” 

Walking over to where he was sitting she laughed at the sight of him covered in Barbies and doll clothes, holding out a hand to help him up and cringing at the groan he let out. 

“I think I sat on the floor a little too long.” He mumbled, rubbing his lower back that was now crying out in pain. Hand still in his, their eyes locked on each other until Tali’s voice broke them out of their daze. 

“Aunt Ellie, Uncle Nick, are you coming?”

“Um yeah, yeah Tali we’re coming.” Walking over to the table, Nick pulled out Tali and Ellie’s chairs before grabbing the pizza and placing it in the middle. “Dig in ladies.” 

Dinner was filled with animated conversation as Tali talked about her Ima and Daddy and how much fun it is to have both of them at home. Nick and Ellie shared a smile at her enthusiasm, both remembering what Ziva went through in order to get back to her family. Afterwards the three curled up on the couch, Tali in the middle, as _Moana_ played on the television. Tali surprisingly stayed up throughout the movie and once it was over, Ellie stood up. 

“Okay Tali, let’s go get you into your pajamas and call your parents before you go to bed.” Rubbing her eyes, Tali walked slowly into the spare room with Ellie following behind.

“I’ll get the laptop set up.” Nick offered from his spot on the couch, Ellie sending him a thumbs up as a thank you. Opening up her computer, Nick brought up the Skype app and selected Ziva’s name from the contacts. Their faces popped up on the screen quickly and they glanced around, looking for their daughter. “Oh hey guys. Tali’s in the other room. Ellie’s helping her get ready for bed before she talks to you.” A sly smile crossed Ziva’s face making Nick squirm in his seat. 

“So Nicholas, how are things going?”

“Oh ya know, so far so good. Tali’s been great.” 

“So, you just came over to help with Tali huh?”

“Well yeah, she’s a great kid. Why else would I be over here?” Ziva rolled her eyes at the man and his stupidity. 

“Nicholas. Please do not tell me you still have not told her how you feel!” Nick looked around the room quickly to make sure his partner was nowhere in sight before lowering his voice. 

“Shhh. She could hear you! Besides, it’s not like I haven’t tried.” Tony was about to say something when Tali appeared on screen, jumping up on the couch and cuddling into Nick’s side immediately. 

“Haven’t tried what?” Nick jumped at her voice behind him causing a laugh to come from the couple on the other side of the screen. 

“Parasailing. Apparently our Nick here isn’t adventurous as we thought.” 

“Seriously Nick? It’s so much fun! We’ve gotta go sometime.” Ziva sent a knowing look to Nick and he just rolled his eyes as their conversation shifted to Tali. Seeing that as his cue he stood up, sitting Tali down on the couch and going to the kitchen to help clean up the mess from dinner. 

“So Tali, did you have fun today?” 

“Yeah Ima! Uncle Nick played Barbies with me!” Tali told her parents all about her day while the partners watched on from the counter. Once goodnights were said Nick moved forward to close the laptop and picked up Tali who was starting to fall asleep, gently carrying her into the spare room and laying her in bed, kissing her forehead. 

Pushing herself off the doorway where she was watching from, Ellie stepped forward, placing a kiss on the girl's head and running a hand over her hair. They both whispered “goodnight Tali” as they slowly backed out of the room. 

Side by side, they plopped onto the couch, each letting out a long exhale as they hit the cushions. 

“Some day huh?” Head against the back of the couch, she turned to face Nick in time to see his face twist in pain. “You okay over there Nick?”

“Yeah just uh, my back is still hurting a little.” His sentence was broken by a yawn and she placed a hand on his thigh, patting gently. 

“C’mon. You can stay with me tonight. My bed’s a lot more comfortable than this couch and I have a feeling Tali’s gonna want her Uncle Nick in the morning so there’s no use in you going home.” Ellie stood up, reaching out a hand to pull Nick up with her. Tired and groaning at the pain in his back he didn’t protest and followed Ellie down the hall into her bedroom, his hand in hers the entire time. “Go ahead and get comfy. I’m just gonna get changed.” She let his hand go and walked into the en-suite, grabbing her pajamas on the way. 

Standing in the middle of her bedroom, Nick couldn’t help but look around. If he was being honest with himself this wasn’t how he pictured his first time in Ellie’s bedroom but he wasn’t complaining. The room was the perfect mix of softness and bad ass, just like her. Hearing the faucet running in the bathroom he could tell she was almost done and stripped off his shirt and pants before crawling under the covers. A minute later Ellie stepped out of the bathroom in a large t-shirt and he stared at her long legs, hoping she was wearing shorts under it. Suddenly her choice of attire wasn’t what held his gaze as his eyes moved to what she held in her hands. 

“Uh, what’s that?” Stepping forward, she sat on the edge of the bed and held out a small container of cream. 

“It’s a pain cream, something the doctor recommended for my knee after the uh, accident. I thought I could put it on your back if it’s still sore.” Ellie said the words shyly and Nick’s mouth went dry at the suggestion. As much as he wanted the pain in his back to go away he didn’t know if he could handle having Ellie’s hands on his bare back before having to share a bed with her. He must’ve been silent for a while because she was pulling her hand back. “Forget it, it was a stupid suggestion. I’m so-” Ellie was cut off of her rambling at Nick’s hand on her arm. 

“It wasn’t a stupid suggestion El. I’m sorry, I guess I just got distracted. And my uh, my back is still a little sore.” 

Ellie gave him a knowing look, sliding to the middle of the bed. “Alright mister, come on. Get out from under the covers and lay on your stomach.” Patting the bed, she waited for Nick to follow her instructions. Only once he was lying face down in the middle of her bed as she straddled his legs did she realize that he was just in his boxers and she was barely wearing more than a t-shirt as her shorts barely covered more than her underwear. 

Needing to get through this as soon as possible, Ellie put some of the cream on Nick’s back before starting to rub it in. He knew the feel of his partner’s touch but her hands on his naked back was a new sensation and he moaned as she hit a particularly sore spot. 

At the sound that escaped from his lips, a blush filled her cheeks and her hands faltered slightly. Keeping up her rhythm she continued to knead the sore muscles until her name was said in a breathy tone. Jumping back, Ellie rushed to close the container and crawled under the covers, sending a goodnight to Nick before turning off her lamp. 

Nick laid there for a moment, confused at the sudden turn of events, when he realized he had moaned her name when she had rubbed away the pain. Cursing himself, he rolled to the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers, falling asleep as far away as possible from Ellie. 

* * *

A tickling feeling on his nose brought Nick out of a deep slumber and he opened his eyes slowly to find the offender. Golden hair was the last thing he expected to see against his cheek and he pulled back only to notice that her hair was the least of his worries. Last night they had fallen asleep on complete opposite sides of the bed but they must have drifted closer during the night because now she was curled into him, one of his arms was under her and the other was wrapped firmly around her waist. She shifted slightly in her sleep and he realized then that their entire bodies were flush against each other. He tried to remember the ‘tuck and roll’ move he had seen on _Friends_ when Ellie stretched, causing her shirt to ride up and a tingling sensation appeared where her newly exposed skin touched his. Holding his breath, he was waiting for her to wake up and hit him for being this close when a knock sounded on the bedroom door. 

“Uncle Nick, Aunt Ellie, I’m hungry.” 

“Mmmm, coming Tali.” Ellie mumbled sleepily, pushing off of Nick’s chest and rolling out of bed, not bothering to put on longer pants as she shuffled to the door. “Coming Nick?” 

“Oh um, yeah. Yeah. I’m coming.” He watched on, thinking about how adorable she looked as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. Stopping before opening the door she turned to him with an expectant look. “You go ahead, start some coffee. I’ll be there soon to start breakfast.”

“Sounds good.” Giving him one last look she opened the door, walking down the hall to start the coffee and smiling at Tali sitting on the couch watching cartoons. It wasn’t until she got the first whiff of coffee that her brain woke up and she registered just how she woke up this morning - completely surrounded by Nick. A blush rose up her cheeks that she tried to cover with her coffee cup as Nick came down the hall, accepting his from her outstretched hand. 

Now sitting up in bed, Nick waited for Ellie to leave the room before getting up and slipping his t-shirt and jeans back on from yesterday. He had forgotten to bring his go-bag up last night and would have to remember to grab it from his Jeep after eating. The way he woke up with Ellie wouldn’t leave his mind and he wondered how she was so casual about it. That thought was abandoned when he took his coffee from her and caught the slight blush that she was clearly trying to hide. Taking a drink of his own coffee, he started at her until a little voice from the living room broke them out of their thoughts. 

“Uncle Nick, can you make pancakes? Tori says you make the best pancakes!” He held back a laugh at the girl's statement. Ever since Tony and Ziva had moved their family back to the U.S. Tali and Victoria, or Tori as she liked to be called now, became best friends and the littlest Palmer had obviously told Tali about his famous “Torres pancakes” that he made for her whenever she stayed with him. She was looking at him over the back of the couch, puppy dog eyes out in full force.

“You got it Tals. One batch of my pancakes coming up!” Ellie giggled as he walked over to ruffle the girls hair and wrapped an apron around himself with a flourish. 

“Yay!” Tali exclaimed, turning back around and focusing on the TV. 

“Need any help?” Nick jumped slightly at the feel of her hand on his back and focused on the griddle. 

“Oh um no I think I’m good with the food. If you wanna get down plates though?” Ellie nodded, going to get plates out of her cabinet to set the table. She couldn’t help but think how domestic this felt and it hit her that she wouldn’t mind experiencing more of this with Nick in the future. “Alright Tals, breakfast is ready!” 

From her place on the couch Tali jumped up, running over to the table and taking a seat, quickly digging into her pancakes. Ellie and Nick shared a smile at the girl and started talking about their plans for the day. 

During breakfast they laid out a plan for the week. Tali had to go to the zoo, Ellie wanted to take her to a children’s museum, Nick decided they should go swimming one day, and they agreed to spend a couple days inside painting and watching movies. A look out the window at the cloudy sky dictated today would be spent inside and after dishes were done the three reconvened in the living room to start their day.

Standing up, Ellie looked around her living room, taking in the paint splattered all over the old sheet they had the foresight to put down and the three canvases currently drying against her wall. 

“You did a great job Tals, you too Ellie.” 

“Thanks Uncle Nick! I can’t wait to show Ima and Daddy tonight!” Tali rambled in between them, as the adults locked eyes. Ellie smiled at him softly in thanks for the complement and Nick smiled back at her before turning his focus on Tali. Ruffling her hair to get her attention, Nick glanced over her and, with a silent conversation with Ellie, knew what needed to be done.

“Alright Tali, I think it’s time to get you cleaned up. Come on, Uncle Nick will pick this stuff up while I give you a bath.” Tali started to object when Nick intervened. 

“After your bath we’ll eat and then watch a movie.” 

“Can we have cookies for dessert?” Tali stuck out her bottom lip, giving both the puppy dog eyes. Nick could never refuse her and Ellie could never turn down the prospect of cookies. 

“Well absolutely! Now c’mon, let’s go get you washed up.” Ushering her into the bathroom, Ellie started the bath water, getting out Tali’s bubble bath and pouring a generous amount in. “Alright Tali, you get undressed and in the tub and I’ll go get your pj’s. 

“But, it’s too early for pajamas.” Tali tilted her head, looking so cute in her curiosity that Ellie had to hold back a laugh. 

“Not if we’re having a slumber party.” Squealing, Tali jumped up and down in excitement, quickly getting into the bath while Ellie grabbed her clothes from the other room. 

While Ellie was busy with Tali, Nick started picking up the living room, making sure no paint was on the floor and started rummaging through the fridge for ingredients to make supper, eventually finding enough to make tacos. He was just starting on the rice when a squeal was heard followed by the pounding of little feet running down the hall and straight into his legs. 

“Uncle Nick! Aunt Ellie said we could have a slumber party!”

“Oh she did, did she?” Chuckling, he looked up at the woman coming down the hall and frowned. Her hair was wild, half-wet and sticking up everywhere, and there was a big wet spot on her shirt, making the white tee almost see through. He choked on air at seeing the outline of her light purple bra and Ellie glared at him, trying not to squirm under his gaze. 

“Yeah, I uh, told Tali we’d all get our pajamas on and camp out in the living room tonight. If that’s okay with you that is.”

“Pleeeeeease Uncle Nick?” 

“Of course Tals.” He ruffled her hair and laughed again as she ran into her room and started grabbing pillows, blankets, and Kelev. “I found stuff for tacos, I hope that’s okay for dinner.”

“Yeah, sounds great. Um, do you mind if I go shower?” 

“Not at all El. I got this.” He motioned to the stove and living room where Tali was and she mumbled a thank you as she walked down the hall. Ten minutes later he was just setting the table when he heard his name being yelled from Ellie’s bathroom. Dropping the silverware, he ran into the room expecting to see Ellie on the floor in pain. Instead, he ran in on her standing next to the shower, wrapped in a towel, with a brush in hand. Spinning around, his hand went over his eyes. “I’m not peeking, I swear!”

“Nick would you just turn around? I called you in here for a reason.” Slowly he turned to face her, bringing his fingers away from his eyes one at a time. He was speechless as he looked at her again and had to count to twenty in English and Spanish to get his mind under control and finally looked her in the eye. 

“Um yeah, whaddya need?” 

“Can you help me shampoo my hair? This paint does not want to come out.” Ellie laughed lightly as Nick gulped. 

“Oh um yea, yeah I can uh, I can do that. Um, how do you want me to uh…” He trailed off and Ellie had to hold back her smirk. The normally confident Nick Torres was suddenly fumbling for words at seeing her in a towel and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying this. Grabbing the shower head extension, she sat on the edge of the tub facing him, handing over the extension and her shampoo. 

“Here, take these and just rub in the shampoo in that area until the paint starts to de-clump. I’ll brush while you spray.” 

“Oh-okay.” She leaned her head back and closed her eyes after he took the objects from her and he had to bite back a moan at her exposed neck. Her hair was still wet so he opened the shampoo, putting some in his hand and breathing in the familiar vanilla scent. Starting at the top, he worked the shampoo into her scalp, nails massaging the skin below. He had to bite his tongue when she let a soft moan escape at the feeling and he watched as the blush travelled up her neck to her cheeks. For both of their sanity, his hands left her scalp and moved to the clump of paint in her hair. He slowly worked the shampoo into the blob of purple until it finally broke apart. Grabbing the wand again, he turned the water on and checked the temperature before washing away the suds, watching as the color swirled down the drain. He ran the water over her hair once more and took the brush from her hand, running it through her hair. She sighed at the feeling of Nick brushing her hair, and he squirmed, hoping that the blood he felt rushing south at the sight and sound wasn’t noticeable yet. When the last of the paint had been washed out he set the brush down and combed his hands through her wet hair. 

His hands running through her hair felt like heaven and she opened her eyes, looking up at him through her lashes. He was so focused that he hadn’t noticed she was looking at him at first until his name escaped her lips in a whisper. 

“Ellie?” Her name came out breathier than intended as he stared into her eyes. Bringing a hand to her cheek he started to lean down when a voice was heard outside the door. 

“Uncle Nick, Aunt Ellie, can we eat now?” Cursing at the girls' timing Nick pressed a kiss to Ellie's forehead before responding. 

“Yep, be right there Tals!” Smiling at her, he helped Ellie up and led her into the bedroom, reminding her of their slumber party before closing the door behind him. 

Still speechless, Ellie sat down on the bed, thinking about their almost kiss. Voices from the other room broke her out of her daze and she stood, dressing in a pair of sweatpants and Oklahoma State tee-shirt for pajamas. Grabbing a couple hairbows for later, she quickly joined Nick and Tali at the table. 

“Man Nick I knew you were a good cook but this was amazing!” 

“Yeah Uncle Nick, you’re almost as good as Ima.” 

“Almost as good huh Tals?” He laughed, leaning over to tickle her some. “Well, your Ima is a pretty great cook so I guess I’ll take it.” 

“Hey Tali, why don’t we clean up the dishes while Uncle Nick takes a shower and then we can build a pillow fort for our slumber party?” 

“Okay Aunt Ellie!” Tali jumped up immediately, picking up her plate and taking it to the sink. “”Are you coming?” Ellie laughed as she joined Tali, sliding a chair over for her to stand on to dry. 

Nick took a moment to watch his two favorite girls washing dishes before heading to the shower. The bathroom was still warm from Ellie’s earlier shower and he inhaled deeply, the scent of her shampoo assaulting his senses. Knowing Tali’s rush to build the pillow fort, he showered and dressed quickly, slipping on checked pajama pants and a tight grey tee, hoping to get Ellie back for her towel incident earlier. 

Ellie was helping Tali get the cushions off the couch when she saw Nick walk in the room. She was used to seeing him wearing tight shirts but this was new. The shirt was lighter than normal and clung to his still wet skin, showing off all of the right muscles. As he came around the couch she let her eyes linger down his form, appreciating the way the material of his pajama pants accentuated his rear when he bent over. Remembering Tali’s presence she averted her eyes, going back to setting up the pillows as Nick grabbed the laptop to set inside their fort. 

Standing back, the three admired the pillow fort that took up most of her living room.

“It’s still missing something…” Nick brought a finger up to his chin, tapping it in thought. 

“What could we be missing Nick? We’ve used every blanket and pillow in here!” 

Watching Tali’s reaction out of the corner of his eye he threw his finger up like the thought just came to him. 

“We need cookies!”

“Cookies! Please Aunt Ellie?”

“Well absolutely!” Squealing in excitement, Tali ran to the kitchen as Nick and Ellie followed. “You know she’s gonna be hard to get to sleep tonight right?” She whispered in Nick’s ear. 

“Eh, one night’s not gonna hurt.” 

Ellie pulled out everything needed for chocolate chip cookies and the kitchen was filled with laughter as they took turns helping Tali stir the batter and place them on a pan. Once they were done and cooled, Nick placed the cookies on a plate and carried them into the fort where Ellie and Tali waited impatiently. Another movie was in order for the night and this time was Ellie’s pick. 

“I’m thinking _Frozen_.” 

“Oh I love that one! Can you braid my hair like Elsa’s?” 

“Well of course!” Nick sat back and started the movie, his eyes going between the screen and Ellie doing Tali’s hair. Due to her short hair, it took Ellie no time to finish the braid and Tali ran her hands over it appreciatively before looking at Ellie. 

“You need a braid like Elsa too! Uncle Nick, can you braid hair?”

“Oh no Tali that’s okay I don’t-”

“As a matter of fact I can. You heard the girl B, you need an Elsa braid. C’mon, turn around.” Ellie did as told, sending a threatening glare over her shoulder at him.

“Fine. This better not be terrible Torres.” 

“Oh ye of little faith!” A hand went to his chest in mock shock before combing his fingers through her hair. Separating each section he got to work, starting just below her scalp to create a braid that would fall over her shoulder, making sure to leave a few wisps framing her face. The opening scene was just appearing when he demanded the hairbow that was on her wrist, using it to secure the braid. Running a hand over it, he admired his work. “Alright El-sa, all done.” 

Ellie had to fight the urge to blush at the nickname, putting all of her focus instead on Tali and the movie. Throughout the film, Tali sang along to all of the songs, Ellie even joining in on “Let It Go” even though she knew Nick would tease her about it later. 

Once the movie ended Nick opened the laptop and called Tony and Ziva for Tali to say goodnight while Ellie went to brush her teeth. Standing in front of her mirror, she admired the braid, wondering how Nick got it so perfect. 

After Nick finished putting the dishes from dessert in the dishwasher, he went back to the living room, peeking in the fort. 

“Ready to brush your teeth Tals? It’ll just take a minute then you can come right back.” 

“Okay! Be right back Ima and Daddy!” On the screen, Tony and Ziva laughed at their daughter rushing away before Ellie appeared in front of the computer. 

“Hey guys! How’s the honeymoon?”

“It’s so great! This is the first time in six years we’re getting true alone time and let’s just say we’re making _very_ good use of it.” 

“Tony!” Ziva elbowed him, laughing at his antics. Ellie smiled, glad to see the couple carefree. “Spain is very beautiful. Maybe you and Nicholas should try vacationing here.” It was Tony’s turn to smile at his wife’s matchmaking. 

“Nick and I… wait what?” 

“Oh you know, maybe you could have a honeymoon yourself here one day.” Ziva smirked at the agent’s obvious discomfort. 

“M-me and Ni-Nick? Oh. No. No, no. We uh, we’re not uh, we’re not like that. I mean, he said I was like a sister to him.” 

“That man is such a wuss.” Ziva mumbled under her breath, Ellie barely hearing her and suddenly curious about what she meant. “Trust me Eleanor, that man does not see you as a sister. Would he still be at your house helping take care of my daughter, building forts, baking cookies, and braiding your hair if he thought of you as just a sister?” Ellie stopped to think for a moment, ready to respond when Tali opened the “curtain” and ran in. 

“Uncle Nick said we could go to the zoo tomorrow! Can we Aunt Ellie, please?” 

“Well of course.”

“Yay!”

Tali spent a few more minutes talking about her day until Nick came back to the fort and they all started bidding their goodnights.

“Have fun at the zoo tomorrow Tal-bear. Don’t forget to see the monkeys!” 

“Okay Daddy! Goodnight! Goodnight Ima.”

“Laila Tov Tali. Ani ohevet otcha.”

“I love you too Ima! Love you Daddy!” With a final kiss blown at the screen it went dark, Ellie closing it and setting it to the side. 

* * *

Six hours away, Tony pulled Ziva into his side, laying back down on the bed. 

“Looks like she’s having fun Zi.”

“Yes. It does.” She was quiet for a moment before Tony rubbed her arm. 

“Something’s on your mind sweetcheeks. Care to share?”

“I miss her Tony.” A few tears escaped that she tried to discreetly wipe away but Tony knew her too well and brought a hand up to wipe the tears away for her. “I spent so long away from her already and, although I love being here with you , trust me I do, I still miss my little girl.” Wrapping his arms around her, Tony placed a kiss on her forehead in reassurance. 

“It’s okay to miss her. I do too.” He thought about his wife’s comment and decided to throw out an idea. “We could always cut our trip short. Who says we can’t honeymoon at home with our daughter?”

“Thank you for the thought ahava but, as much as I miss her, I have also spent so long missing you as well. Please do not think I do not want to be here because I do. I want to spend this time with you as newlyweds, re-learning things about each other and who we are as a couple. I love you. And I do not regret this.” Ziva’s hand brushed under his eye, wiping away the wetness that was now present. 

“I love you too Ziva. So much.” Leaning down, he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. “We’ll see her again in a few days but for now…” he trailed off as Ziva read his mind, flipping them over so she was on top and effectively cutting him off with a kiss. 

* * *

It only took minutes after their call with Tony and Ziva for Tali to fall asleep snuggled up next to Ellie. Slowly as not to wake her, she lay the girl down on the pillows and turned toward Nick who was laying behind her.

“So uh, your braiding skills are better than I expected…” She whispered between them, trailing off to let him fill in the rest. Nervously, Nick rubbed the back of his head. 

“Yeah I uh, used to braid Amanda’s hair all the time before I started undercover work. I thought she would’ve forgotten about it but when I saw her in the hospital that night for the first time in eight years that was the first thing she asked me to do. And uh, Victoria loves _Frozen_ too. I’ve had to braid her hair every time we watch the movie.” Nick shrugged as if what he was saying was no big deal and Ellie swore she felt her heart swell in her chest. Catching onto his last words a smile crossed her face and she smacked him lightly on the shoulder. 

“I knew you were mouthing the words to ‘Let it Go!’” 

“Okay, okay. Guilty as charged.” 

“Well that’s very sweet Nick.” Sending him a soft smile she watched as he grabbed her hand that was between them and brought to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on the back. 

“Goodnight Ellie. Sweet dreams.” 

“Goodnight Nick. Sweet dreams.” 

Sending a sleepy smile towards him, they fell asleep with their hands still clasped together between them, both dreaming of the day where their goodnight sentiments could end with “I love you.”

* * *

The next day at the zoo Tali dragged them around to all of the animal exhibits, even talking Nick into petting a kangaroo, before she finally tired out and they decided to call it a day. Nick pulled Tali onto his back and he walked next to Ellie towards his Jeep, her hand brushing his arm every so often. Ellie kept looking over at Nick as they left the zoo and couldn’t help but smile. The entire day he listened to Tali talk animatedly about every animal they saw and let her pull him through the kangaroo enclosure to pet the animals despite the slight fear she saw on his face. Her heart warmed even more when he bought her a meerkat as they were leaving and she gave him a huge hug in gratitude.

As soon as they all got in the Jeep, Ellie glanced back at Tali to see her asleep. 

“Well, someone had a good day. She’s out like a light.” Nick chuckled, trying to suppress a yawn himself. 

“Ya know, I think I could follow her lead.” Head back against the headrest, Ellie hummed in agreement.

“Yeah, I think a nap is in order once we get back.” Both too tired to hold conversation, it was a fairly quiet ride back to Ellie’s place, the radio the only noise in the Jeep. Once they got parked, Nick carried a still sleeping Tali inside and laid her down on her bed before plopping down on the couch next to Ellie and resting his head on the back. 

“Alright B, wake me up when it’s time for supper.” When he got no response, he looked over to see her eyes closed and breathing even. Laughing silently, he closed his eyes and let sleep over take him. 

Blinking slowly, the first thing she registered was the hard pillow under her head, then the arm that was curled around her side and the hand that was resting on the slip of skin where her shirt had ridden up. Apparently she and Nick had fallen asleep on the couch and had moved closer together in their sleep. The thought of being curled up next to him like this should have scared her but instead she took a moment to revel in it. The sound of Tali’s door opening woke her up fully and she went to stand, using her hand to push herself off of the couch. It wasn’t until she heard the hitch of Nick’s breath beside her that she realized her hand was on his thigh, very high on his thigh. She jerked her hand away quickly before she was fully standing and lost her balance, falling onto his lap. Tali suddenly appeared at the side of the couch and she scrambled to get up, hand landing in Nick’s lap causing a groan of pain to escape. Ellie sent him an apologetic look over her shoulder before turning to Tali. 

“Hey sweetie. Have a good nap?” The young girl nodded, rubbing her eyes as she spoke in a quiet voice. 

“I’m hungry.”

“How about I go pick up food?”

“Oh Nick, you don’t have to do that.” Standing, he waved Ellie off. 

“Not a problem. I have to stop by my house and grab some more clothes if I’m gonna be staying here any longer. I can pick up something on my way back. Burgers sound good?” 

“I like burgers!” Tali exclaimed, Nick reaching down to ruffle her hair. 

“You got it. Want the usual B?” 

“Yep. And don’t forget-”

“An extra side of fried pickles.” They said the last art in unison and Ellie laughed at her predictability with food. “You got it.” He grabbed his keys and placed a quick kiss on Ellie’s cheek before heading out the door. His action didn’t register until he got in his car and dropped his head on the steering wheel. He hadn’t really thought about what he was doing when he kissed her, it just seemed natural at the time, and now he was kicking himself for unconsciously giving into temptation. 

Staring at the closed door, Ellie was frozen in place at the lingering feeling of his lips on her skin and brought her hand up to her cheek. She didn’t know how long she had stood there but she didn’t move until Tali asked her to help pick out a movie to watch. 

It was almost an hour later when Nick came in the door, duffle over one shoulder, bags of food in one hand, and a tray of drinks in the other. Ellie ran over to grab dinner from him, taking the food to the coffee table while he took his duffle in her room. She couldn’t help but smile at how natural this was with him before laying out the food and getting comfortable on the couch, Tali sitting next to her. When Nick came back in the room he claimed his spot and she turned on the TV, _Brave_ playing on the screen before them. The movie was nearing the end when Nick glanced over to see Tali asleep, a fry hanging out of her mouth.

“Hey Bishop.” He whispered, trying to get his partner’s attention. She looked over and smiled at the sight, pulling her phone out and snapping a quick picture to send to Tony and Ziva before grabbing the fry out of her mouth. Quietly, Nick stood up, picking Tali up and carrying her to her bedroom. Ellie followed behind, getting Tali in her pajamas while Nick cleaned up the living room and turned off the TV. Grabbing his phone, he found Ziva’s number and pressed send.

_“Hello Nicholas, is everything okay. You do not usually call on the phone.”_

“Oh yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to call and let you guys know that Tali had a big day at the zoo today and fell asleep. I don’t think she’ll be calling you tonight.”

 _“Oh um. Okay. That is understandable.”_ Sensing his wife’s sudden discomfort,Tony scooted closer to her on the bed and began rubbing her back. She pulled the phone away to let him know everything was okay before talking to Nick again. _“Well um, please give her a kiss from each of us and do not hesitate to call at any time in the morning when she wakes up.”_

“Of course Ziva. Say hi to Tony for us.” 

_“I will do that. Goodbye.”_ Ziva hung up the phone, letting a tear escape. Tony quickly pulled her into a hug, pressing a slow kiss on top of her hair. 

“Let me guess, she’s already asleep and can’t call tonight.” It was clearly a statement, not a question and she just nodded against his chest. “It’s okay honey. I’m sure they’ll call us when she wakes up in the morning.” 

“I know Tony. And I know it is ridiculous to be upset over something so trivial but I am so used to seeing her face every day and I just-” She was cut off by a sob that broke through and Tony moved them to lay down, curling himself around her and rubbing her hair as she cried herself back to sleep.

Back in DC, Ellie was just coming out of Tali’s room as Nick hung up the phone. “Did you break the news that she wouldn’t be calling them tonight?” 

“Yep.”

“How’d she take it?” Ellie knew Ziva was having a hard time being away from her daughter and knowing that she wouldn’t be seeing her, even over a screen, had to be tough. 

“It could’ve gone worse.” She only nodded at his words, not knowing what else to say. “Well, I think I’m gonna turn in for the night too. Let me grab my bag and I’ll get set up out here.” He started walking toward the bedroom when she grabbed his arm, stopping him. 

“Nonsense Nick. We shared a bed the other night, we can share again. No big deal, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Of Course.” Wordlessly, he followed her into her room and they took turns getting changed in the bathroom before climbing into bed. Knowing they would most likely end up curled together in the morning, neither bothered to keep their space as they succumbed to slumber. 

* * *

Ellie was broken out of a peaceful sleep when she heard the bedroom door open and the sound of little feet hitting the hardwood got closer to the side of her bed. Pulling her hand away from where it was clasped in Nick’s across her stomach she rubbed her eyes and saw Tali standing there, tears running down her cheeks. 

“Oh Tali sweetie what’s wrong?” The little girl sniffled, wiping away her tears with one hand while clutching her kelev with the other. 

“I had a bad dream.”

“Oh honey it’s okay.” 

“Can I sleep with you tonight Aunt Ellie?” Ellie’s heart broke for her, scooting away from Nick to make room for the girl and patting the bed in between them as Tali climbed over her clumsily.

A foot kicking his chin woke Nick up and he groaned, opening his eyes only to see Ellie on the other side of the bed with Tali in between them. Tilting his head in question, Ellie just mouthed the word “nightmare” and his eyes widened in understanding. As close as Tali had been to Nick during the week Ellie expected her to seek comfort in him so she was surprised when Tali curled up to her instead. She couldn’t help the tear that escaped at the action and Nick sent her a soft look, squeezing her shoulder and running a hand down her arm in comfort. 

______

Tali was still upset when she woke up in the morning so before getting out of bed Ellie grabbed her phone, immediately dialing Ziva’s number on video chat. She handed the phone to Tali to let her talk to her parents as she and Nick climbed out of bed, but not before Tony caught a glimpse of them. He would be teasing them about that later but right now he needed to focus on his wife and daughter. 

While Tali talked to Tony and Ziva, Ellie and Nick went into the kitchen to start on breakfast. Nick had just finished the last of the French toast while Ellie put the bacon on the table when Tali appeared in the kitchen much happier than before. 

“Aunt Ellie, Ima wants to talk to you.” Wiping her hands on a towel, she took the phone from Tali and walked into her room. 

“Hey Ziva, Tony.” 

_“Hey Ellie. Thanks for calling us this morning. Tali and Ziva really needed it.”_

_“Yes thank you Eleanor. I did not think missing one call would affect me like that, and especially not Tali. But she told me that you comforted her back to sleep so thank you for taking care of my baby.”_

“Oh yeah, of course. She’s a great kid. We love her.”

_“We?”_

_“Somethin we need to know about Ellie?”_ She could hear Tony’s smirk across the phone and rolled her eyes. _“Don’t think we didn’t notice you two sharing a bed this morning.”_

“Well um my couch isn’t that comfortable and I didn’t want to hear him complain about his back so…” Tony and Ziva gave each other knowing looks. They knew that excuse. It was the same one they used when they shared the bed in Paris. 

_“Oh c’mon Ellie. We invented that excuse.”_

“Oh uh, gotta go. Breakfast is ready. Bye!” Ellie hung up the phone before Tony could say anything else and was thankful it wasn’t a video call so they couldn’t see the blush that tainted her cheeks. She took a deep breath to compose herself before joining the others at the table. Since none of them slept well the night before and the forecast was giving rain they decided to stay in today to play board games and watch movies. Nick knew Ellie was competitive, something about growing up with three older brothers, but he never thought she could get so competitive at Twister that she would tickle his side to make him fall. He wanted to be mad at her but the laughter coming from Tali and Ellie’s smile made it all worth it. 

Later that evening after the very important video call to Tony and Ziva, they talked Tali into an early bedtime with the promise of a pool day tomorrow. They stayed up talking for another hour or so before Ellie started yawning and they decided to call it a night too, curling up together as soon as their eyes closed.

* * *

Ellie woke up to the sound of the shower running and rolled over, inhaling deeply at the scent of Nick that lingered. A glance at the clock told her it was just after 5:00 AM so she laid there, revelling in the familiar smell when she heard the water shut off and quickly rolled back over to her side. The bathroom door opened and Nick stepped out but the last thing she expected to see was him with just a towel wrapped around his waist. Her mouth went dry when he bent over and watched as he pulled his boxer briefs on under the towel that finally dropped to the floor. The hitch in her breath alerted him to her presence and he jumped around, not prepared to see her staring at him. 

“Geez Bishop give me a heart attack why don’t ya?”

“I’m not the one who decided to come into the room in just a towel.” She hoped the look she was giving him was more annoyed than appraising as she tried to keep her eyes on his face. 

“Well I forgot my clothes out here. Plus I uh, thought you’d still be asleep.” Nick mumbled the last part and she smirked. No longer caring about her watching, he leaned over to his bag and grabbed a pair of sweatpants, pulling them on and sitting on the bed next to her. “So, I know we promised to take Tali to the pool today but what do you say we go to Virginia Beach instead?” 

Ellie’s eyes went wide. “Nick! That’s like a three hour drive!”

“So? If we left by 7:00 we’d be there before noon and could stay until sunset and be back by midnight. It’s like, the perfect day trip” He could see she was still on the fence about it so he pulled out his last resort. “Please Ellie?” He gave her his best puppy dog eyes and watched her resolve crumble.

“Fine. We can go to the beach.” Ellie laughed at Nick’s enthusiasm. “Now go start the coffee and I’ll shower so we can get going. 

“You got it B.” She watched as Nick ran out of the room and shook her head. He could be such a kid sometimes but damn was he adorable. Rolling out of bed, she stumbled into the bathroom and took a longer shower than normal, taking the time to make sure she was well shaven before drying off and pulling on her fuzzy robe. 

Walking into her bedroom she smiled at the cup of coffee sitting on her side of the bed and paused mid-stride, wondering just when she started thinking of her bed as having sides. Shaking away that thought she sat down and took a long drink, sighing at the taste; Nick made it exactly how she liked it. After finishing her coffee she went into her closet, pulling out a bag for spare clothes and beach towels, and then going in search of a bathing suit. She finally decided on a striped one piece with cutouts in the sides, showing just enough skin while still being practical beachwear for running around with a kid. Making sure the door was locked, she slipped into the bathing suit and pulled jean shorts and a tank top over it, adding her favorite Oklahoma State sweatshirt to combat the early morning chill. 

Slipping into Tali’s room, she quietly grabbed some of the girls clothes and packed them in her bag, leaving just enough room for Nick’s things. It was still before 6:00 so she went into the living room to sit with Nick. 

“Alright. I have mine and Tali’s clothes packed plus some towels. There’s still room for yours if you wanna put them in the bag on my bed. I’ll get Tali up and ready soon. I’m sure she’ll be excited, Tony told me they’ve only taken her to the beach a couple times and she loved it.”

“I’ll go get some clothes packed, load the bag up in the Jeep, and then make us a quick breakfast to go.” 

“Sounds good.” Nick went into her room and changed into his swimsuit, pulling his shorts and a tee-shirt on over the suit. After packing his spare clothes in the bag he zipped it up and carried it outside, throwing it in the back of his Jeep. When he got back upstairs the door to Tali’s room was open and Ellie was nowhere to be seen so he pulled out a pan to start making breakfast sandwiches. Ellie and Tali appeared a few minutes later as he was getting the toast out of the toaster and he smiled as he looked up at them. 

“Why are we awake so early?” Tali whined as she sat at the table. Nick sent Ellie a look and she came up beside him. 

“I figured you’d wanna tell her since this was your plan.” She whispered in his ear, nudging him away from the stove so she could take over while he sat down next to Tali. 

“Well Tals, I know we said we’d go to the pool today but we’ve had a bit of a change in plans. We’re going to the beach instead!”

“I love the beach!” Tali jumped up, all tiredness wiped away at the mention of the beach, and gave Nick a hug. “Thanks Uncle Nick! Thanks Aunt Ellie!” She yelled as she ran into Ellie’s legs and hugged them. 

Nick laughed as he listened to Tali ramble off everything she liked to do at the beach and went back to cooking while Ellie filled two to-go mugs with coffee and one with milk for Tali. She also went into the spare closet and pulled out a cooler, filling it with bottled water for the drive. As soon as Nick finished cooking, he wrapped the food in a towel and turned to smile at Ellie. 

“And we’re ready.” 

“Alright. C’mon Tali!” She yelled down the hall, handing over the cooler to Nick and taking the food he had been holding. Tali ran to the door, practically bouncing on her heels as they left the apartment and got packed in the Jeep. 

The drive went by surprisingly fast and before they knew it they were pulling up to the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Thankfully it was Thursday so the beach was fairly quiet with mostly locals so they set up shop just away from the water. Impatient, Tali grabbed Nick’s hand, trying to pull him towards the water. 

“Woah slow down there Tals. We gotta wait on Aunt Ellie. Besides, you don’t wanna get your clothes wet.” Sighing dramatically, Tali ran back to where Ellie was standing and threw her dress off, tugging on Ellie’s hand. 

“C’mon Aunt Ellie!.” Looking up from where she was standing, Ellie caught a glimpse of Nick stripping off his shirt before back down at the girl in front of her. Why don’t you guys go ahead while I go grab something from that shop over there?” She pointed to a little tourist shop behind them as Nick walked up. 

“Okay! Let’s go Uncle Nick!” Slightly startled, he sent a ‘help me’ look over his shoulder as Tali pulled him to the ocean leaving a laughing Ellie behind. 

Nick couldn’t help but glance in the direction of their towels every once in a while and wondered how much longer Ellie would be. Finally, he looked over and she was standing by their stuff, this time holding a bag. 

“Hey Tals she’s back. Wanna go see what she got?”

“Yeah!” Tali yelled as she sprinted toward the sand, Nick right behind her. 

“Hey guys! I forgot to pack sunscreen so I grabbed some of that. Plus, I thought you might like to build some sandcastles Tali.” She watched as a smile lit up the girls face and handed the bag to Nick to open it. “Now, while Nick’s opening that come over here so I can put some of this on you. Don’t want you to get sunburnt.” Begrudgingly, Tali let Ellie apply the sunscreen. As soon as she heard the words ‘all done’ she ran over to the bucket and shovel Nick had just laid out and got started building a sandcastle. “Alright Nick, your turn!” 

Exasperated, Nick turned to look at her. “Oh come on Ellie I don’t wear sunscreen.”

“Oh uh, yes you do.” They stood there in a stare off until he sighed and threw his arms up. 

“Ugh fine! Give it to me.” Smirking, she handed over the bottle, catching a glimpse of an eye roll as he started rubbing it in. After a minute he tossed the bottle on the sand and looked up at her. She had already taken off her shirt and was now shimmying her shorts down her long legs. His mouth went dry when she kicked her shorts away and bent over to put the sunscreen on her legs. Needing to keep his composure, he looked away to see what Tali was doing until he heard Ellie’s voice behind him and turned towards her.

“Hey Nick? I uh, can’t reach my back. Do you mind?” Gulping, he could only nod as he stepped behind her, taking the bottle from her outstretched hand and watching as she moved her hair over her shoulder. It took everything in him not to lean forward and press a kiss to her neck as he started rubbing the sunscreen on her upper back. He was a little disappointed she was wearing a one-piece because he really wanted to see more skin but also knew it was for the best with Tali here. Unable to speak, he dropped his hands when he was finished and she turned around. 

“Alright.” She made a turning motion with her finger and he looked at her in confusion. “Turn mister. You need sunscreen on your back too.” 

“Oh uh, yeah okay.” Although his eyes were on Tali his mind could only think about the feel of her hands on his back again. She tapped him lightly on his back when she was done and came to stand next to him. He quietly wondered if the action affected her as much as it did him until he caught a glimpse of the blush across her cheeks. 

They joined Tali in the sand, picking up buckets and helping to create “the most fantastical sand castle ever” in the words of Tali. Once the sandcastle was complete, Tali pulled Ellie to the water while Nick went to rent an umbrella upon Ellie’s request. On his way back, he caught sight of a tall, military looking man who clearly couldn’t take his eyes off of his partner. His fists clenched at his sides as he resisted the urge to go over and punch the man but had to remind himself that Ellie wasn’t actually his. He stayed in place until they were walking out of the water and the guy suddenly approached them and he had had enough. 

Going up to Ellie and Tali, he ran his hand along Ellie’s back, dropping it before she could hit him, and stood between them. 

“Hey babe, you guys getting hungry? Thought I could go grab some lunch and then we could go for a drive.” Ellie sent him a strange look until he looked at the guy standing across from them and it clicked. “Oh hey man. Nick.” Instead of shaking the man's hand he jutted his chin out, hoping the man got the message. 

“Kevin.” The man glanced between the three, shifting uncomfortably on his feet before taking the hint. “Well uh, it was nice to meet you guys. I uh, I gotta go.” Watching the man jog away, Ellie lightly jabbed an elbow into Nick’s side and started to berate him for being jealous until Tali spoke. 

“Uncle Nick, can we have shrimp?” 

“Absolutely!” Grabbing Tali’s hand, they walked together back to their towels as Ellie walked behind them. “Alright, you two get settled here and I’ll go get lunch.” Before she could protest he was off towards the food stands. Tali was happily playing in the sand again so she sat there, taking in the sound of the waves. 

“Excuse me.” Turning her head toward the sound, she saw an older woman standing there, a soft smile on her face. “I’m sorry to interrupt but I just have to say you have an adorable little family. Your husband and daughter are just precious.”

“Oh um, th-thank you.” Lost in thought after the woman left, she was startled when Nick was suddenly sitting next to her again. “Hey, that was fast.” Ellie tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, the woman’s words still running through her head. 

“The line wasn’t too long. Hey Tals, ready to eat?” 

“So ready!” They laughed at her tone as she made it seem like she hadn’t eaten in days. They dug into their plates of seafood when Tali looked up at them and asked as innocently as a child could. “What’s a wuss?” Ellie paused, fork half-way to her mouth as Nick choked on the bite he had just taken. After a couple pats on the back from Ellie and a drink of water he finally got his composure enough to respond.

“Where uh, where did you hear that?” 

“When Aunt Ellie was talking to Ima!” Ellie’s eyes went wide as Nick’s head whipped around to look at her. “She was talking about you!” Tali pointed to Nick then and it was his turn to be shocked. 

“I-I uh, I have no idea what she’s talking about.” Not knowing the awkwardness that now surrounded the adults Tali continued. 

“Daddy said it before too. That he was a wuss for not asking Ima out sooner. Then Ima called Uncle Nick a wuss. But they still won’t tell me what it means.” She looked up at them with a pout. “Will you tell e what it means?” 

Nick and Ellie looked at each other, having a silent battle on who should attempt to explain this term to Tali. Eventually Ellie caved and opened her mouth. 

“Well Tali uh, a wuss is someone who uh, doesn’t always say what they mean because they’re afraid to.” Tali tilted her head, thinking about her words for a moment.

“I think I get it.” Nick held his breath as Tali went back to eating, seeming to forget the conversation. “Can we go back to the water now? I wanna swim.” 

“Not yet sweetie. We gotta wait an hour after eating before we can get back in the water.” Tali’s pout made her chuckle and she looked to Nick for reinforcements. 

“She’s right Tals. But what do you say we take the top off of the Jeep and drive around for a little bit until we can get back in?” 

“Okay! I’m ready!” Laughing at the girls' rush to get back in the water, Nick and Ellie quickly finished their food and grabbed their things, walking back to the Jeep. Nick pulled the top off and they all climbed in, ready for a relaxing drive. 

Both girls had been quiet and Nick looked in the mirror, catching sight of a sleeping Tali, before shifting his eyes to the passenger seat. Ellie’s blonde hair was blowing in the wind and he wanted so badly to run his fingers through it. She turned then to face him, a slight smile gracing her face. 

“What?” He was thankful they were at a stop light because the look she was giving him, head tilted on her hand, eyes shining in the sun, made his breath catch and heart skip a beat. 

“Nothing I just um- it’s just nice to see you this relaxed, that’s all.” He sent her a soft smile before turning away as the light turned green but her eyes stayed glued on him. It was rare for him to actually say what he meant and she wondered if his relaxed state would make him answer her next question truthfully. 

“Hey Nick?” He hummed in response so she took a deep breath and continued. “What was uh, what was Tali talking about earlier. About Ziva calling you a wuss?” He had been expecting this conversation and knew now what he needed to do. 

“So um, you remember my fight with Ziva when we were trying to distract those guys?”

“The one you let her win? Yeah I remember. What does that have to do with-”

“Well I didn’t actually let her win. She uh, she kinda said something that threw me off my game.” He was quiet for a moment, bracing himself for what was about to happen. 

“Okay… What’d she say?”

“She said that I should tell you how I feel. And I think I’ve gone against Ziva’s advice long enough Ellie.” He heard her sharp intake of breath and pulled over, needing to have this conversation while looking at her. Putting the car in park, he unbuckled and turned to face the passenger seat. 

“H-how you… how you f-feel?” Reaching over, he clasped her hands in his, staring into her eyes as he brought her hands up to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles. 

“I’m tired of being a wuss. I really like you Ellie.” He watched as a tear escaped her eye and he reached over to wipe it away. “I’m sorry Ellie I- I shouldn’t have said anything.” As soon as his hand started to leave her cheek she grabbed it, keeping it in place. 

“No Nick. I’m glad you said it because well, I think I should take Ziva’s advice too.” Nick’s eyes widened at the implication of her words. “I really like you too Nick.”

A breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding escaped as he took in her words. Not wanting to waste any more time, he leaned over the console, looking into her eyes for confirmation before closing the distance. The kiss was short and sweet and perfect, smiles gracing both of their faces as they pulled back and rested their foreheads against each other. A sound from the backseat indicating Tali was waking up broke them apart and Nick buckled back up, pulling the Jeep back onto the road and taking Ellie’s hand in his. She sent him a soft smile that was met with one of his own, the matching expressions staying on their faces as they drove back to the beach. 

Tali was fully awake by the time they pulled in at the pier again and this time they went straight to the water. Ellie was right behind Tali when suddenly she was being picked up by Nick, a squeal escaping as he threw her over his shoulder. Laughter erupted from Tali as Nick threw Ellie into the water, creating a splash. Coming up out of the water, Ellie wiped the now wet hair out of her face and started walking toward Nick slowly. 

“You’re not gonna get away with it that easily mister. C’mon Tali, let’s get him!” Nick started slowly running away from them, letting them catch up easily and pull him underwater. 

They spent the next hour playing together in the water until the sky started turning pink. After getting changed out of their bathing suits, they met back at the pier, reclaiming a spot on the sand to watch the sky turn dark. Pulling out her cell phone, Ellie called up Tony and Ziva on Skype and handed her phone to Tali, letting her talk to her parents as she sat with Nick. He had slipped on a tee shirt now but still wore cargo shorts so she placed her hand on his bare knee as she leaned into his side, his arm coming to wrap around her waist and rest under the Oklahoma State she had pulled over her tank top, much to Nick’s dislike. Seeing that Tali was still on the phone, Ellie leaned her head up and pressed her lips gently to Nick’s. Not wanting her to move, he brought one hand up to cup her jaw, effectively holding her in place.

They were so into each other they didn’t notice that Tali had turned the phone on them until Tony’s voice could be heard from the speaker. 

_“Well look who decided to stop being a wuss!”_ Ziva smacked her husband’s arm as the two jumped away from each other. A blush had taken over Ellie’s cheeks at being caught and it only intensified when she looked up to see Ziva smirking at them. 

_“So I see the two of you have taken my advice, yes?”_ Unashamed, Nick wrapped his arm around Ellie’s shoulder and pulled her back against his side. 

“Yeah. Yeah we did.” 

_“Way to go guys!”_

_“I am happy you finally listened to me Nicholas. We are happy for you two. ”_

“Thanks.” Ellie said shyly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears. Nick squeezed her shoulder in reassurance.

“Yes. Thank you Ziva. It may have taken a while but uh, you finally knocked some sense into me.” 

_“You would have gotten there eventually but I am glad that it happened sooner rather than later.”_

“Me too.” Ellie blushed again as Nick kissed her cheek and she curled further into his side as he smiled brightly. 

_“Well, we will leave you two be. Let us just say goodnight to Tali.”_

“Of course. And thanks again Ziva.”

 _“You are very welcome Eleanor.”_ Ziva winked at her as she handed the phone back to Tali, letting her say her goodnites while she and Nick packed up the towels. Once Tali had ended the call, they took one last picture together before walking back to the Jeep. 

It was almost 9:00 pm when they got back on the road to DC. Tali had fallen asleep quickly after eating supper so Nick took the opportunity to reach across the console and grab Ellie’s hand, squeezing it lighty. 

“Anything on your mind El?” 

“Hmm?” She turned her head, looking at him with a sleepy smile. “Oh I uh. I was just thinking about this.” She waved her hand between them before realizing he couldn’t see her. “Us.” 

“Us. I like the way that sounds.” He sent her a smile, making a tingle run up her spine. She sat there staring at him for a moment, taking him in, until he started talking again. “Hey Ellie I uh, I hope you know that this isn’t just fling for me. I need you to know that I want you. I want to be with you, for as long as you’ll have me. I’m in this for the long haul.” Ellie felt a swirl of emotions in her stomach and knew that this was it. 

“It isn’t just a fling for me either Nick. I don’t know when it started but I’ve had feelings for you for a while and I just… I don’t know I guess I just never knew how to tell you and after everything that’s happened in the past year I just didn’t know if you were even interested. Then your accident happened and Valentine’s day and, I guess after that I just knew. You’re it for me Nick.”

“You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now.”

“Oh I think I have a pretty good idea.” Nick was slightly taken aback by her boldness but quickly decided he liked this side of her. 

“I know the nurses nicknamed you Forrest.”

“What?” 

“In the hospital, before you got there, I was talking to McGee. He told me that you were raising hell with the doctors and nurses to find out how I was doing. He also told me what you said you were going to do.” The words lingered in the air for a moment before Ellie realized what he was talking about. 

“Nick. You have to believe me I didn’t-”

“I believe you Ellie. You may have wanted revenge but I know you didn’t kill him.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know you Ellie. And it was then I knew that I may actually have a chance.”

“But then why did you get a date for Valentine’s day if you knew then?” 

“Well uh. I actually didn’t.”

“But you said…”

“I know what I said but the date was just a cover. I was gonna take you out for sushi and then with the case I just… I dunno I guess I just got cold feet. And it didn't help that I pushed myself too much in the field. Although I gotta say, the alternative of you coming over with food and painkillers and watching movies was pretty nice.”

“I just figured it was the least I could do.” With their hands intertwined he could feel her shrug and squeezed her hand. 

“It was perfect Babe.” She smiled at the familiar nickname that she secretly loved. Unlike before she would let him get away with the term of endearment now. 

They spent the rest of the ride talking quietly about their new relationship and what they wanted for the future. Nick surprised her when he admitted he wanted a family some day, saying that taking care of baby Cody with her changed his mind on wanting a wife and kids. If it was possible she fell more in love with him then. 

It was just after midnight when they finally pulled up to Ellie’s apartment. Exhausted, Nick told Ellie to leave everything else in the car as he grabbed Tali and carried her inside.Tucking Tali in, Nick and Ellie shuffled into the bedroom, only bothering to take off shirts and pants before falling into bed. This time there was no pretense of trying to keep their distance as they curled up together, Ellie’s back to Nick’s front, his arm laying lightly over her waist, and they fell asleep more content than ever. 

* * *

For their last full day together, Nick and Ellie took Tali to the National Children’s Museum, the new couple holding hands while watching her enjoy the interactive exhibits. Since it was their last evening together, they decided to go out to eat, splurging for the new restaurant around the corner from her apartment that Ellie had been wanting to try. Dinner was filled with conversation and laughter and Nick had the sudden image of this being him and Ellie out with their child in the future. Pushing that thought away for now, he focused back on the story Tali was telling about going to a museum in Paris with her Ima and Daddy.

Once back at home, they went through their nightly routine of calling Tony and Ziva then tucking Tali into bed before climbing into bed themselves, immediately curling up together. 

The sun had barely risen when Ellie felt her bed shift. Nick was still asleep behind her so that just left one other possibility. 

“Aunt Ellie! Ima and Daddy are coming home today!” Laughing quietly, Ellie motioned for Tali to lay down. 

“Yes they are. But let’s not wake up Uncle Nick okay? How about we sleep a little more and then when you wake up again you’ll be even closer to seeing them?”

“Okay Aunt Ellie.” Tali whined slightly, proving to Ellie that she was still tired and snuggled the girl against her side. 

Thankfully they were able to get a couple more hours of sleep and were all well rested when Nick’s alarm went off promptly at 7:00, the latest he would let himself sleep in on a day off. Rolling out of bed, Ellie went straight to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee while Nick worked beside her, pulling out ingredients for his pancakes Tali had begged him to make again. Pouring them each a cup of coffee, she handed Nick’s to him, receiving a kiss on the cheek in thanks. With Tali on the couch watching cartoons, she took the moment to lean against the counter, watching Nick work. He was definitely a natural in the kitchen and she would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy watching him work. 

“See something you like there B?” Nick smirked at catching her checking him out and she hid her smile behind the coffee cup. 

“Maybe.” She was about to step forward to wrap her arms around his waist when Tali spoke up from the living room. 

“Aunt Ellie, can I call Ima?” With a whispered promise of ‘later’ from Nick, she stepped away and walked over to the couch, running a hand over Tali’s hair. 

“After breakfast okay? The pancakes are almost ready.”

“Okay.” Tali’s disappointment remained after breakfast as Tony and Ziva were still in the air, leaving the adults figuring out how to cheer her up. Eventually, Nick had an idea.

“Hey Tals, how about we get out some art supplies and you can make a card for your Ima and Daddy?” 

“Yeah! Can I Aunt Ellie?” If she hadn’t already mentally agreed, the puppy dog eyes Tali was giving her would’ve sold her. 

“Well of course. Let me go grab some of my stuff and I’ll lay everything out on the floor for you.” As soon as she stood, Tali was hugging her tightly.

“Thank you Aunt Ellie.”

“Oh you’re welcome sweetie.” As she went into the spare room to find her art supplies, she caught sight of Tali snuggling back up next to Nick and her heart swelled, imagining him and their future child curled up together on the couch. Locking away that thought for later, she focused back on her mission, coming out with art supplies for Tali and her pencils and sketchbook for herself. Nick helped lay out the sheet used for painting the other day and Ellie set up shop for Tali.

As Tali got to work, Nick sat down on one end of the couch, patting the space next to him for Ellie but instead of curling up against him like he expected she sat on the opposite end facing him. He sent her a questioning look which she only responded to by holding up her pencil and paper before looking down and going to work. With both ladies focused on their art, he turned the TV on, quickly finding HGTV and turning the sound on low. 

Two hours later they were all still in the same spot when Nick’s phone rang. A glance at the screen made him smile as he looked over at the girl stretched out on the floor. 

“Yo Tals, it’s for you.” Jumping up, Tali ran over to him and grabbed the phone, answering quickly and he laughed as she talked a mile a minute to her parents. She was on the phone for almost an hour when he realized Ellie hadn’t moved the entire time. “Hey B, whatcha drawing over there?” Leaning over, he tried to take a peak only for her to pull the pad closer to her chest. 

“You’ll see. Later. Just, be patient.” His response was cut off by Tali jumping on the couch between them, handing over his phone. 

“Ima and Daddy say hi. They’re getting back on the plane and will be home in two hours!” The excitement at seeing her parents again was radiating off of her and Nick smiled, knowing they needed to do something to make the time go by faster for her. He caught Ellie setting her sketchpad down and look at him, waiting to see what he would come up with. 

“Why don’t… we go to the store and get stuff to make your Ima and Daddy’s favorite meal? Then we can have it ready for them by the time they get back?

“Yeah! Can we make lasagna? That’s what Daddy made for Ima when she came back home.” Ellie wiped a tear away at the reminder of Ziva’s fight to get back to her family.

“Lasagna just happens to be my specialty. Go get your shoes on and we’ll go.” Standing up from the couch, he looked over at his partner who was still sitting while Tali ran into the other room. “You coming El?” 

“Uh, you guys go ahead. I’ll stay here and get Tali’s things together.” 

“Okay.” Leaning down, he pressed a light kiss to her lips, making her smile before slipping his shoes on and meeting Tali by the front door. 

While they were gone, Ellie collected Tali’s clothes from the week, throwing them in the washer and going back to pack up her toys. She had just gotten Tali’s things in the dryer when the two walked back in the door. 

“Honey, I’m home!” She rolled her eyes at Nick’s term of endearment but the smile on her face assured him she really wasn’t annoyed. He immediately walked up to her and kissed her cheek, the action drawing an ‘eww’ from Tali that the couple laughed at. While Tali put the finishing touches on her cards, Ellie helped Nick in the kitchen, following his every instruction. Once the lasagna was in the oven she finished Tali’s laundry and Nick pulled her bags into the living room to be ready for Tony and Ziva’s arrival. Supper was almost ready when Ellie’s phone beeped, signalling a text from Ziva that they were leaving the airport now and would be there in thirty minutes. 

“Hey Tali, did you finish your card and gifts?”

“Yep!” 

“Oh those are so pretty sweetie! How about we lay them out in the alcove over here to let them all dry?” 

“Okay!” Ellie helped her lay out all of her creations and then picked up the sheet, making sure the rest of the room was nice and neat for the DiNozzo’s arrival. A text to Ellie’s phone signaled their arrival and she instructed them to come on in.

“Ima! Daddy!” Tali ran to her parents as soon as the door opened, running into Tony’s legs as Ziva bent down to her level. 

“Oh hello Motek. We have missed you so much.” Ziva pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head, pulling her into a tight hug. 

“Hey wait a second guys, I want in on this too.” Laughing, Ziva pulled away and let Tony step forward, picking their daughter up for a group hug. 

Nick and Ellie watched on in silence at the little family reunion, almost feeling like they were invading on a private moment but the family pulled apart before they could look away. Tony was the first to step farther into the apartment, Ziva following him with a hand holding Tali’s. It was obvious mother and daughter missed each other. 

“Hey guys, it smells wonderful in here.”

“Tony!” Ziva quietly admonished from beside him, smacking his elbow.

“What, it does.” 

“No worries Ziva, we uh, actually wanted to surprise you. We figured since you’ve been gone for a week a home cooked meal would be nice and you probably wouldn’t feel like cooking.” 

“Well thank you Eleanor. My husband is right it does smell amazing.”

“Oh I wish I could take credit for it but this was all Nick.” 

“Well Nicholas, my apologies.” 

“No apology necessary Ziva. Now c’mon, lets eat.” 

“Ah some of my favorite words!” Tony exclaimed, earning another light smack from Ziva.

Over dinner, the newlyweds told them about the G Rated parts of their honeymoon and Ellie didn’t miss the hints Ziva was giving her about a potential honeymoon for herself and Nick. Once everyone was done, Tony leaned back in his seat, rubbing his stomach in satisfaction. 

“That was one of the best lasagna’s I think I’ve ever had.”

“That was amazing Nicholas. Perhaps I can get you to teach my husband here how to make it.”

“Hey! My cooking skills have improved over the years!” Ziva chuckled as he sat up, looking at her in faux annoyance. 

“Yes ahava they have. But I do not think your pizza can compare to a homemade lasagna.” 

“Yeah well, I didn’t say I was the best.” Ziva leaned over then, kissing the pout away that had formed. 

“Hey Tali, why don’t you show your parents what you made for them?” Jumping up from the table, Tali ran over to the living room to grab the cards and crafts she had made. 

“Oh motek, this is beautiful. Thank you.” Ziva pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. 

“These are wonderful Tal-bear. Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome!” Tony could tell Ziva was ready to be home so he sat Tali down from his lap and looked at Nick and Ellie across the table. 

“Thank you guys for dinner. And for watching Tali. We really can’t thank you enough.” 

“Oh it was no problem! She’s a wonderful kid and we loved having her here. I’m just glad you guys got to finally go on your honeymoon.” As they all stood up from the table, Ziva sent Tony a look and he nodded slightly, taking her hint. 

“Hey Nick, could you help me carry Tali’s stuff to the car?” Nick glanced at the three bags they had brought for her in confusion but went to help anyway, grabbing two and leaving Tony with the lighter one. 

As soon as they were out the door and Tali was occupied, Ziva came up next to Ellie. 

“So Eleanor, it looks like I was right. Yes?” Ellie felt a blush creeping onto her cheeks and pushed her hair behind her ear before looking at Ziva. 

“Okay, you were right. And I guess I knew it before but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I mean, sure we flirted all the time and would get jealous when the other dated someone else but-” Ziva started laughing and Ellie gave her a strange look. 

“Oh do I know how that goes. Tony and I flirted from day one. We drove the others crazy sometimes but it was natural for us and it got worse after we went undercover as a married couple. Then after Gibbs retired we became, _closer_ , and it was not long after that that the jealousy started. We had so many obstacles in our way, Rule 12 included, and it just never seemed like the right time and then it was too late. We wasted so long pining for each other, time that we could have been together, and I am just glad that will not be the case for you and Nicholas. I could see the spark between you too the first time I saw you together and I knew you needed the push that Tony and I didn’t have.” Ziva placed a hand on top of Ellie’s, squeezing slightly. “And I can see that you are happy together.”

“We really are. Thank you Ziva.” 

“I can also tell that you love each other.” Ellie’s face scrunched up.

“You can tell?”

“I am not blind Eleanor. I take it you have not told him the extent of your feelings yet?”

“Well no, not exactly. I told him that he was it for me so I think he knows but… I guess I’m just nervous.”

“I know you have been hurt in the past but please believe me when I say it is worth it to say the words out loud.” Ellie nodded, taking in the woman’s words, knowing she was right.

The door had barely shut behind them when Tony spoke up. “So, you and Bishop are together now.” It was a statement, not a question, and Nick gulped. He knew from McGee that Ellie saw Tony as a brother and the sentiment was obviously mutual. 

“Um yeah, yeah we are.” 

“Listen, McGee, Ellie, and Ziva say you’re a great guy but I don’t know you that well and I just want to make sure. I mean, I was there for the fallout with _Jake,_ ” he spit the name out like a curse and from the little he knew about Ellie’s ex he couldn’t blame him “and she was pretty furious. Hell we all were. I’m pretty sure Gibbs punched him but we could never prove anything.” Nick’s eyes went wide at the thought of Gibbs punching the man before Tony shook his head and continued. “Anyway, I remember how hurt she was after that and I guess I’m just saying I don’t want to see her that way again.” 

“I can promise you right now that I would never hurt Ellie in that way. I’ve seen her heartbroken over losing Qasim and I never wanna be the cause of that. I already told her I’m in this for the long haul and I mean it.” Now outside, they threw the bags into the car and Tony looked over Nick. 

“Ziva was right, you two do love each other.” Nick froze, his eyes bugging out of his head. “Let me guess, you haven’t said those words yet?”

“Uh no, not uh, not yet.”

“Well, if you take anything from this conversation let it be this, don’t waste any more time. If you know how you feel you gotta tell her sooner rather than later. Trust me.” Nick just nodded, taking in the man’s words. He knew he loved Ellie but he was still nervous about admitting it to her, even though he was pretty sure she felt the same. 

As soon as they walked in the door, Tony immediately went to Ziva’s side, kissing her lightly. Smiling at the couple, Ellie was shocked when Nick did the same, wrapping his arm around her. 

“Alright Tal-bear, ready to go?”

“Yeah daddy!” Tali ran up, crashing into her parents legs.

“Tell Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Nicholas goodbye and thank you.”

“Bye Aunt Ellie! Bye Uncle Nick!” She gave them both a hug, looking up at them. “Thank you.” 

“You’re so welcome sweetie.” Ellie answered for them. 

“Thanks again guys.” Tony said, pulling Ellie into a hug while Ziva hugged Nick. Tali waved goodbye before taking her parents hands as they walked out. 

Nick and Ellie stood in the middle of the kitchen for a moment, watching the family leave. Wrapping his arm around her, he walked them over to the couch and pulled her down next to him. Nick watched as Ellie reached over to grab her sketchbook, opening up to the page she had been working on earlier, and sitting crossed legged facing him. 

Wordlessly, she turned the sketchpad and handed it to him. Looking into her eyes for confirmation, he looked down at the paper and gasped at the picture that was looking back at him. It was a sketch of him lounging on the couch, feet up on the coffee table, but what really caught his eye was the look on his face as he looked at her. 

“I had a talk with Ziva earlier, about us. I didn’t really notice when I first drew this but looking at it now I know she was right.” When she looked up, Nick was staring at her, eyes watery. “My mom always told me that she knew my dad truly loved her by the way he looked at her. And I thought I had that before but uh, when Ziva said tonight that she could tell we loved each other I knew that I’d never had this kind of love before. Where when you look at someone you can just see it on their face. And it took me a while to see it but I do now and I really hope that you see the same thing in me. Because I do, love you Nick. And if you’re not ready to say it that’s okay but I just needed you t-” 

Suddenly Nick was laying the sketchpad to the side and his lips were on hers. He pulled away too soon for her liking and she was ready to pull him back down to her when he stopped her with a finger over her lips.

“Ellie. I love you too.” He wasted no time in putting his lips back on hers and slowly lowered her to the couch as they got lost in the taste and feel of each other.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: The scene where Tali fell asleep eating a fry was actually something that I did as a kid. My grandparents had taken me out to eat (I think it was a Wendy’s) and I was so tired from the day that I fell asleep at the table in the middle of eating a fry.


End file.
